Vanderbilt Cup Races

Terrence:

I totally agree!

Howard

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: 1910 Plans for the Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway

Hi Bob:

I try to have a focus on the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Long Island. Here is one reference to the Fairmont on this website:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/monday_march_23_2009_1908_locomobile_trophy_purchased_for_128700

I can also recommend a book “The Fairmont Motor Races (1908-1911)” by Michael Seneca.

Enjoy,

Howard

From Favorite Website: Team Dan Race Archives

Erratum #3: “The races continued there until 1910, when three spectators were killed and twenty others injured.”
Motor Parkway Fact: No spectators were killed during the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race. Two mechanicians died while participating in the race:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/question_of_the_day_march_24_2008_how_many_fatalities_were_there_in_the_lon

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

Hi A:
Thanks for the feedback. I have posted a close-up of the car’s entrant banner of its radiator. It is definitely #42.

Checking out the axles, it appears that all three cars are from the same manufacturer.

Howard

From A Visit to the Amazing Simeone Foundation Museum

Hi Steve:

Thanks for the feedback!

Here’s a link to information on David Wasserman’s amazing tin art.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/friday_april_17_2009_old_16_tin_art_by_david_wasserman

Enjoy,

Howard

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Hi Steven:

Thanks for the comment. Your father’s art is amazing.

Please contact me when you are on Long Island and we can go for a ride in the “Black Beast”.

Howard

From "Old 16" Tin Can Art by David Wasserman

I’m greatly enjoying Howard K.‘s stream of info on the Vanderbilt Cup races in New York.  You can see an interesting artistic rendition of the 1908 winner (the #16 Locomobile) by artist David Wasserman (now deceased) by going to TinCanMan99 on AOL (or googling Mr. Wasserman’s name) and reviewing his very interesting metal art.

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

The picture captioned as Mercers at Wheatley Sweepstakes is very interesting, but the three cars in the picture are definitely NOT Mercers. Not sure what they are.

From A Visit to the Amazing Simeone Foundation Museum

Long Island in recent years missed an opportunity to bring back motorsports at the EPCAL site in Calverton, opting for a less popular theme park with a ski mountain. It seems our rich motorsports history is being kept just that by our politicians, History. There is much history laying in fields and yards rusting away because of no place to house it.

From VanderbiltCupRaces.com Exclusive: 1910 Plans for the Ronkonkoma Motor Speedway

Erratum #2:  “also known as the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway”

Motor Parkway Fact: When the Long Island Motor Parkway was active from 1908 to 1938, the road was never referred to as the “Vanderbilt Motor Parkway” by either newspapers, automobile trade media or William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.

Adding to the confusion, today a section of the existing parkway in Suffolk County was named the Vanderbilt Parkway. However, true LIMPers never use the term “Vanderbilt Motor Parkway”.

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

Erratum #1: “12 toll lodges designed by John Russell Pope”.

Motor Parkway Fact: John Russell Pope designed only the first six toll lodges. There were 20 toll collection structures associated with the Motor Parkway.

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/index.php/blog/article/toll_lodges_of_the_long_island_motor_parkway

Howard

From The New NYC Parks & Recreation Motor Parkway Historical Marker in Queens

At Santa Monica, the checkered flag was used as a finishing signal for the first time in 1914. Yellow meant stop, green said one lap remained. In 1913, the checkers indicated one lap remaining.
For the 1909 Santa Monica race, the flags were: Red = stop; White = course clear; Green = slow down; Black = finish.
What is often overlooked is the fact that the sport of auto racing in this period had yet to develop as an actual sport as we see them today. There were rules, yes, but most of the requirements for safety and operation had yet to be decided upon due to plain ol’ ignorance of what was needed. Drivers had trouble keeping track, imagine how hard it was for fans to follow along.    HOPublishing.com

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

I second the motion re. the awe inspiring work Howard is doing with the Vanderbilt Cup web site.

Thank you Howard!

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

I would like to say how much I am enjoying the excellent photos and information in your blog on your Vanderbilt Cup Site. I check back every day to see what you
have added.

From The Checkered Flags of the Vanderbilt Cup Races

Thank you, Howard, for including my father’s work in your blog. And thank you for sending me a copy of your wonderful book. I will be stopping briefly in Long Island in early May for a high school reunion, and I hope to be able to talk to the new director of the Nassau County Museum of Art about hanging some of my father’s works in the museum.

From "Old 16" Tin Can Art by David Wasserman

Great photo. Lindburgh stayed awake for 55 hours to make the flight to Paris. What a piece of history.  In 1951 they closed the field and turned it into a Mall. It is very close to Garden City, NY and most who live there have no idea what happened on that strip of land in 1927. They drive right by.

From Charles Lindbergh and the Motor Parkway in 1927

Hi Paul:

Thanks for the positive feedback!

Howard

From AACA Presentation and Feb. Event Update: Club Meetings, Car Shows and Car Cruises

Howard I do not know where the P43 picture was taken.  Using the building in the back, playing with the PC sharpens it, ive looked at East Norwich, Jericho, Mineola nothing. Maybe HIcksville.  The picture was taken by Joseph Burt photographer thru the 30s Mineola area and beyond. Do you know the machanics name? How was Philly?  Bob Valentine

From Starting Lineup: 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes

A very interesting and informative website. I was at the get together at the Bonwit and it was great.  Keep up the good work, am sure it takes a lot of effort and is appreciated.  Stay Well. Paul Emmert

From AACA Presentation and Feb. Event Update: Club Meetings, Car Shows and Car Cruises

Hi Randy:

Thanks for the information!

Howard

From Jay Leno & the 1906 Stanley Steamer Vanderbilt Racers